Oh dear, scammers have got my phone number!
Tax bills cleared, debt written off, even free petrol! I must be the luckiest woman in Britain because I've been offered all of these things this week.
Except, they're scammers trying to get my bank account details out of me. Unfortunately my mobile phone number has been added to some sort of idiot list where they believe I am gullible enough to pass my personal financial details to a cold caller.
These calls start in roughly the same way. The debt and tax one say they are calling from a legitimate sounding debt management or accountancy company asking if you've heard about new government rules that all you to wipe any outstanding debt and taxes.
All these friendly cold callers want to do is help you to get out of debt for a small fee of a couple of hundred quid; you transfer the money and they'll do the rest.
Except it's nonsense and there are no such rule changes.
When I inquired as to where they got my number I was unhelpfully told 'a database'. I made a few too many inquires of the organisation because the woman put the phone down on me.
What can I do?
As my phone number is registered through the Telephone Preference Service TPS) cold callers should be screened out but as this caller was from overseas (which I could tell by the heavy accent), there's not a lot that can be done to stop them.
I registered my complaint with TPS and the Information Commissioner's Office but the best course of action is to protect myself.
I have blocked the number on my mobile (if you're interested in the number it is 0808 189 3405) and now when I get dodgy sounding calls I hang straight up and again block the number.
Unfortunately, the only way you can escape these scammers is to be vigilant but I do wonder just how many debt-riddled people looking for a way out have fallen for these ploys.
I have also been contacted by a company called 'Free Moments' offering me free vouchers for petrol, holidays, and days out – all I have to do is pay a £2.75 postage fee, which helpfully I can pay over the phone.
This time the call came from Wales and the young woman at the end of the phone was very cheery, asking me how I was and whether I was going on holiday. But it doesn't matter how friendly she was, I won't be handing over my details anytime soon. Apparently once you've paid the postage they keep taking money out of your account for 'voucher magazine' (although helpful forums, not the company told me this!)
That's another one added to the blocked list.
Read more:
Swamped by fake solicitor scam emails
Financial ombudsman service warns on new scam
Scamwatch: banking fraud
